1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a terminal fitting.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-040985 discloses a male terminal fitting with a tubular box-shaped portion that has an open rear end. A tab extends forward from the box-shaped portion and a crimping portion extends back from the box-shaped portion. The crimping portion is to be connected to an end of a wire. The box-shaped portion has a base plate, two side plates that extend at substantially right angles from opposite sides of the base plate and two supporting plates that extend from extending ends of the side plates to be substantially parallel to the base plate. Restricting plates extend into the box-shaped portion from the extending ends of the supporting plates and are substantially parallel to the side plates.
Many terminal fittings of this type are bundled for storage and transport before being mounted into a connector housing. Thus, a tab of one terminal fitting inadvertently may be inserted into a box-shaped portion of another terminal fitting from behind. This insertion may cause the tab and the box-shaped portion to deform. However, the restricting plates in the box-shaped portion of the terminal fitting disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-040985 restrict entry of the tab of another terminal fitting into the box-shaped portion.
Two restricting plates are arranged side by side in a width direction in the above terminal fitting and may enlarge the box-shaped portion in the width direction.
The present invention was developed in view of the above situation and an object thereof is to allow miniaturization of a box-shaped portion.